Hydraulic traverse mechanism.



v E. s. 00m. HYDRAULIC TRAVERSE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED J'UL'YB, 1909. RENEWED OUT. 9, 1911.

1,025,111 1 Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

1 1 i I WITH/58858 INVENTOR poumnm PLANDGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD S. COLE, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

HYDRAULIC TRAVERSE MECHANISM.

Application filed July 8, 1909, Serial No. 506,499.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD S. COLE, a citizenof the United States of America, residing at Montclair, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hydraulic Traverse Mechanism, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

This invention relates to a novel hydraulic traverse mechanism adaptedto be used, in connection with the rod-meter of a pitometer apparatus,for the purpose of automatically, accurately and positively moving arecording device in exact unison with the movements of the rod-meterduring the operation of making tests for the velocity traverses in awater main preliminary to starting a sclfrecording manometer in operation. Heretofore this particular work has had to be performed by twooperators, one with pencil and paper making notes by hand, and the othermanipulating the apparatus. In the cramped, wet andv dark quarters thatoperators usually occupy while thus manipulating pitometer instruments,hand-writing is both diilicult and disagreeable. Furthermore, notes andcomputations made by hand under such conditions are liable to error. Allthese objectionable features are entirely avoided by the use of mypeculiar mechanism which will be more fully described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of mycomplete invention as applied to a pitometer apparatus used on a largewater main, the latter being shown in section, and Fig. 9 a detail topview showing a section of the recording drum portion of my devicethrough line as a: of Fig. 1.

The reference numeral 1 denotes a crosssection of a large water mainprovided with a tap 2 through which passes a pair of coupled hollowpipes 3 commonly known to the art as a rod-meter. This rod-meter isadapted to slide up and down longitudinally through the tap 2, its lowerend carrying the usual open Pitot tubes 4. The top of the rod-meter isconnected with a manometer device comprising a glass U-tube 5 and rubbertubes 6. The legs of the tube contain a colored indicating fluid 7 whichis deflected up and down by the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

Renewed October 9, 1911. Serial No. 653,729.

impact. and suction, respectively, of the water flowing through themain 1. The manometer readings are taken from the height of this fluid.The glass U-tube 5 is supported on a bracket 8 by clamp 9, and thisbracket is removably attached to the outside of tap 2 by a hinge clamp10. Behind the U-tube is located a revoluble trav erse drum 11 carryinga printed record sheet 12. Within the drum is a retracting spring 11. A.stylus or prick point 13 slides up and down between two stationary guiderods 14 having their upper and lower ends fastened to clamps 9 and 15.Pointers 16 on the stylus frame 1.7 extend across the front of the legsof the U-tube to locate more accurately the height of the colored liquidduring the operation of first setting the stylus, and then pricking offthe record. This is done by pushing in the knob 13 with ones fingers.The traverser drum 1] is connected to mechanically follow, through thetension of the spring 11 within, the inward and outward longitudinalmovements of the rod-meter 8 in the manual operation of adjusting it,and the Pitot tubes 4, in relation to the diameter of the water main.Said connection is made through the medium of two cords or cables 18 and19 connecting the rod-meter with the drum. These cords are secured toand wind upon two different sized grooved pulleys 20 and 21, whichrevolve together on a short pin 22 fixed to the side of the bracket 8.

The cord 18 is fastened to the periphery of the smaller pulley 20 at thepoint 23, and the longer cord 19 is attached to the periph cry of thelarger pulley 21 at a point 24. lVithin the pulleys is a retractingspring 27 which constantly holds the two cords taut when. all areconnected up as seen in Fig. 1. In this view, it will be noticed thatthe longer cord 19 has a hook 25 on the end which takes into an eye 26clamped to the rod-meter 3. These two winding pulleys 20 and 21constitute in effect a reducing gear in order to reduce the rotarytravel of the record sheet drum in relation to that of the rod-meter.Otherwise the rod-meter would not have sutlicient range of travel, orthe record drum would be too large and cumbersome for practical use.When all the parts are thus adjusted and connected, the rod-meter may beset at various predetermined points in relation to the diameter of thewater main, and each resultant reading of the liquid in the manometerpricked off and plotted on the record sheet 12 with mechanical certaintyand unfailing accuracy. The marking of the sheet is done as soon as theindicating liquid in the manometer tube settles so that the prick pointcan he slid opposite the top of the liquid until the pointer 16registers therewith. Thus, whenever the rod-meter is moved upward fromthe position shown in dotted lines to that shown in full lines, thepulleys 20 and 21, revolvingin the direction of the arrow, will wind upthe cord 18 while letting out the cord 19, against the tension of thesprings 27 and 11 This action revolves the drum 11, and record sheetthereon, a corresponding distance. When the rod-meter 3 is lowered, thedrum 11 automatically moves in the opposite direction, and when theliquid lever is again prieked off, the record will show the exactrelation of the liquid in reference to the diameter of the water mainand also to the previous point recorded.

The great advantage of my device lies in its simplicity and ease ofoperation, whereby a comparatively unskilled operator can make atraverse of a main, and such traverse or record, when mailed toheadquarters, can be computed and the proper scale returned to him forthe correct inter-- pretation of his photographic or manual records.Although it is av ditiicult matter to instruct even a fairly goodengineer sufliciently to enable him to make and compute a pitometertraverse, it is comparatively easy to transmit printed directions bywhich any intelligent man can operate a rod-meter when used inconnection with my traverse gage and thus take olf a traverse curvewhich can be mailed to headquarters for computation. In the old way twomen were generally required to do this work, whereas in this new wayonly one is necessary.

It is apparent that other kinds of connec tions might be interposedbetween the rodmeter and the recording element of the device withoutescaping the principle thereof, and it is also obvious that otherchanges such as would naturally suggest. themselves to those skilled inthe art could be made without departing from the scope and spirit of myinvention. Therefore, I wish it distinctly understood that I do notlimit myself to the precise construction herein shown.

lVhat I claim is: p

1. In a hydraulic traverse mechanism, the combination with a rod-meterand manometer, of a record-carrying device, and means interposed betweenthe latter and the rodmeter for causing said carrier to automaticallyand positively follow the movements of the rod-meter.

2. In a hydraulic traverse mechanism, the combination with a revolublerecord-carrying drum, of a manually operated stylus disposed before thedrum, a rod-meter, and mechanism for revolving the drum in unison withthe longitudinal movements of the rod-meter.

3. In a hydraulic traverse mechanism, the combination with a rod-meter,a manometer and recording drum, of spring-retracted reducing devicesconnected respectively to the rod-meter and drum whereby the drumfollows the movements of the rodmeter.

4. A hydraulic traverse mechanism consisting of the combination with arod-meter, a tap in which the latter works, a bracketadapted to beclamped to the tap, and a manometer and record-drum mounted injuxtaposition to each other on said bracket.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDXVARD S. COLE.

lVitnesses R. G. DU Bois, F. E. TASKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

